Slide action switch

ABSTRACT

A slide action electrical switch, comprising a casing, a carriage mounted in the casing for sliding movement along a predetermined path, an electrically conductive contactor mounted on the carriage, electrical contact means on the casing and selectively engageable by the contactor during movement thereof with the carriage along the path, such casing having a front wall with a rearwardly facing surface along which the carriage is slidable, such casing having a slot extending through the front wall and generally parallel with such path of the carriage, and an operating member slidable along the front surface of the front wall, such operating member comprising a rearwardly extending portion including a pair of prongs extending through and slidable along the slot, such carriage having a retaining slot for receiving the prongs, such prongs being flexible and resilient and having rear end portions with ratchet teeth thereon for deflecting the prongs toward each other as they are inserted through the retaining slot during the assembly of the prongs into the retaining slot, such prongs being operative to snap away from each other with the ratchet teeth locked behind the carriage when the prongs are fully inserted through the retaining slot in the carriage. A spring is preferably provided to bias the carriage toward one end of its path. Preferably, the operating member is sufficiently longer than the slot in the front wall to cover such slot throughout the range of movement of the operating member. The casing, the carriage and the operating member are preferably made of resinous plastic materials.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and improved slide action switch whichwill have many applications, but is particularly well adapted for use inautomobiles and other automotive vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A wide variety of switches have been produced for use on the dashboardand elsewhere in automobiles and other automotive vehicles, forcontrolling various functions and components of the vehicle. Forexample, such switches have been produced of the lever action type, therocker type and the push button type. In some cases, such switches havebeen of the detented type or the latching type, to produce a pluralityof definite operating positions. In other cases, such switches have beenof the spring returned type, having a biasing spring for returning theoperating member of the switch to its initial position, after theoperating member has been moved momentarily to its actuated position.

One principal object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved control switch, particularly for use on vehicles, and having aslide action, in that the operating member of the switch is slidable toa plurality of positions by the operator of the vehicle.

A further object is to provide such a new and improved slide actionswitch which is reliable, easy to operate, highly compact, attractive inappearance, easy to assemble and low in cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To achieve these and other objects, the present invention preferablyprovides an electrical switch, comprising a casing, a carriage mountedin said casing for sliding movement along a predetermined path, anelectrically conductive contactor mounted on said carriage, electricalcontact means on a contact supporting board in the casing andselectively engageable by said contactor during movement thereof withsaid carriage along said path, said casing having a front wall with arearwardly facing surface along which said carriage is slidable, saidcasing having a slot extending through said front wall and generallyparallel with said path of said carriage, said front wall having a frontsurface, and an operating member slidable along said front surface ofsaid front wall, said operating member comprising a rearwardly extendingmember including a pair of prongs extending through and slidable alongsaid slot, said carriage having a retaining slot for receiving saidprongs, said prongs being flexible and resilient and having rear endportions with latching elements thereon for deflecting said prongs assaid prongs are inserted through said retaining slot during the assemblyof said prongs into said retaining slot, said prongs being operative toreturn resiliently to their undeflected positions with said latchingelements interlocked with said carriage when said prongs are fullyinserted into said retaining slot in said carriage.

The latching elements are preferably in the form of ratchet teeth,projecting outwardly in opposite directions. The distance between theextremities of the ratchet teeth is preferably greater than the lengthof the retaining slot in the carriage, so that the prongs are deflectedtoward each other as they are inserted through such slot.

The length of the operating member is preferably substantially greaterthan the length of the slot in the front wall, so that such slot iscovered by the operating member throughout its range of movement.

The operating member and the prongs are preferably made of a resilientresinous plastic material. The casing and the carriage are alsopreferably made of resinous plastic materials.

It is preferred to provide resilient means, such as a spring, forbiasing the carriage toward one end of its path of sliding movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects, advantages and features of the present invention willappear from the following description, taken with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged front elevational view of a slide action switch tobe described as an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are vertical sections, taken generally along the lines5--5 and 6--6 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of the contact supporting board for theswitch, the contacts and the contactor being shown in broken lines.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the contact supporting board of FIG. 7,the contacts being shown in broken lines.

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 are front, side and top views of the movablecontactor for the switch.

FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 are side, rear and plan views of one of theelectrical terminals for the switch.

FIGS. 15 and 16 are front and rear elevations of the carriage for theswitch.

FIG. 17 is a top view of the carriage.

FIG. 18 is a vertical section, taken generally along the line 18--18 inFIG. 16.

FIG. 19 is a horizontal section, taken generally along the broken line19--19 in FIG. 15.

FIG. 20 is a vertical section, taken generally along the line 20--20 inFIG. 15.

FIG. 21 is a front view of the operating member for the switch.

FIGS. 22 and 23 are bottom and side views of the operating member.

FIGS. 24, 25, 26 and 27 are front, rear, side and top views of thecasing for the switch of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 28 and 29 are vertical and horizontal sections, taken generallyalong the line 28--28 and 29--29 in FIG. 24.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT

As just indicated, the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1-6, illustratea slide action switch 30 which will find many applications, but isparticularly advantageous for use on the dashboard of an automobile orsome other automotive vehicle, for controlling a function or componentof the vehicle. In this case, the switch 30 is intended specifically toclose an electrical circuit which operates a latch releasing solenoid orother device for the rear hatch cover of the vehicle. The switch 30 isvery small and compact but is illustrated on an enlarged scale in thedrawings.

It will be seen from FIGS. 1-6 that the slide action switch 30 comprisesa casing 32 having a front surface 34 along which an operating member 36is slidable. The casing 32 and the operating member 36 are preferablymade of resinous plastic materials.

The operating member 36 is formed with a forwardly projectingprotuberance or knob 38 which is adapted to be engaged by one finger 40of the operator, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The knob 38 is formed with anon-slip surface 42 which is serrated or grooved, for non-slipengagement by the operator's finger 40.

The function of the switch 30 is indicated by an illustration 44 on theoperating member 36. Such illustration 44 shows an automobile with itsrear hatch cover swung upwardly. The operating member 36 is actuated bysliding the operating member 36 downwardly along the front wall 34, asindicated by an arrow 46 on the operating member 36.

The casing 32 has a front flange 48 which is adapted to engage thedashboard of the automobile. In this case, the front flange 48 is in theshape of a rectangle with rounded corners. To the rear of the frontflange 48, the casing 32 has a main or rear casing portion 50 which isadapted to be inserted through an opening in the dashboard. As shown,the rear casing portion 50 is generally rectangular in shape. The casingportion 50 may be retained in the dashboard opening by two spring arms52 and 54, formed on the upper and lower sides of the casing portion 50.

The casing 32 has a generally rectangular interior space 56 in which acarriage 58 is slidable along a predetermined path. In this case, suchpath is vertical. The illustrated casing 32 has a front wall 60 with arear surface 62, along which the carriage 58 is slidable.

The carriage 58 is preferably biased toward one end of its path byresilient means, illustrated as a spring 64, which biases the carriage58 upwardly in this instance. As shown, the spring 64 is received in anest or recess 66, formed in the front side of the carriage 58. In thiscase, the carriage 58 is actually formed with two such recesses 66,either of which may be employed to receive the spring 64. The upper endof the spring 64 engages a flange 68 on the carriage 58. The lower endof the spring 64 is engaged by a vertical flange or fin 70 on the casing32. In this case, there are actually two such flanges 70, as shown inFIG. 25, for entering the two recesses 66 through slots 72 in the lowerends thereof.

The movable carriage 58 carries an electrically conductive contactor 76which is selectively engageable with contact means on the contactsupporting board 82. Such contact means may take the form of pairs offixed contacts 78 and 80, mounted on a contact supporting board 82 whichforms the rear wall of the casing 32.

The illustrated contacts 78 and 80 are in the form of sphericallyrounded heads or contact points on rivets 84 and 86 which extend throughholes in the mounting board 82. Electrically conductive terminals orprongs 88 and 90 are secured to the board 82 by means of the rivets 84and 86. The terminals 88 and 90 are adapted to receive a suitableelectrical receptacle or connector.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 9-11, the contactor 76 may comprise aconductive metal plate 92, made of copper or the like, and formed withprongs or tabs 94 and 96 which are slidably received in slots orrecesses 98 and 100, formed in the rear side of the carriage 58. Thecontactor 76 is biased rearwardly by resilient means, illustrated assprings 102 acting between the carriage 58 and the contactor 76.

In this case, the contactor 76 engages the contact points 78 throughoutthe range of movement of the carriage 58. When the carriage 58 is biasedto the upper end of its path by the return spring 64, the contactor 76is out of engagement with the contacts 80. When the operating member 36and the carriage 58 are moved downwardly, the contactor 76 engages thecontact points 80 to close the electrical circuit between the terminals88 and 90.

In the illustrated switch 30, the assembly of the switch is greatlyfacilitated by providing a rearwardly projecting portion 106 on theoperating member 36, to connect the operating member 36 to the carriage58. The rearwardly projecting portion 106 is preferably molded in onepiece with the operating member 36. As shown in FIG. 5, the rearwardlyprojecting portion 106 extends through and is slidable along a verticalslot 108, formed in the front wall 60 of the casing 32.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 5 and 23, the rearwardly projectingportion 106 of the operating member 36 is formed with flexible resilientlatching prongs 109 and 110 which are inserted through the slot 108 whenthe switch 30 is being assembled. The prongs 109 and 110 are then pushedthrough a slot 112 formed in the carriage 58. The prongs 109 and 110have rear end portions formed with latching elements or ratchet teeth114 and 116 which cause deflection of the prongs 109 and 110 toward eachother, as the ratchet teeth 114 and 116 are pushed through the slot 112in the carriage 58. Such deflection arises from the fact that the lengthof the slot 112 is less than the distance between the oppositelyprojecting extremities of the ratchet teeth 114 and 116. Such teeth haveinclined ramps 118 and 120 which cause deflection of the prongs 109 and110 toward each other, as the ratchet teeth 114 and 116 are pushed intothe slot 112 in the carriage 58.

When the prongs 109 and 110 have been pushed fully into the slot 112, asshown in FIG. 5, the ratchet teeth 114 and 116 emerge from the rear endof the slot 112, whereupon the prongs 109 and 110 spring outwardlyagain, away from each other, while the ratchet teeth 114 and 116 moveoutwardly into interlocking or latching engagement with the carriage 58,as shown in FIG. 5. The ratchet teeth 114 and 116 have forwardly facingabutment surfaces 122 and 124 which interlock with correspondingrearwardly abutment surfaces 126 and 128 on the carriage 58, as shown inFIGS. 16 and 23.

The guide slot 108 in the front wall 60 of the casing 32 is longer thanthe retaining slot 112 in the carriage 58. The guide slot 108 issufficiently long to provide for the full range of vertical movement ofthe operating member 36. However, the operating member 36 issubstantially longer than the guide slot 108, so that the slot 108 isfully covered by the operating member 36, throughout its range ofoperating movement. In this way, the appearance of the switch 30 isimproved. Moreover, the operating member 36 prevents the entry offoreign bodies into the guide slot 108.

The contact supporting board 82 is assembled with the casing 32 bypushing the board 82 with sufficient force into the rear end of therectangular opening 56 in the casing. As shown in FIG. 29, the casing 32has side walls 134 and 136 formed with two pairs of ratchet teeth 138which cause the side walls to be deflected outwardly as the board 82 ispushed into the opening 56. The board 82 is pushed against a rearwardlyfacing abutment or shoulder 140, whereupon the ratchet teeth 138 springback inwardly, behind the board 82, to latch it in place by interlockingengagement between the ratchet teeth 138 and the rear side of the board82.

If desired, the carriage 58 may be provided with two of the returnsprings 64, received in the two recesses 66.

We claim:
 1. An electrical switch, comprisinga casing, a carriagemounted in said casing for sliding movement along a predetermined path,an electrically conductive contactor mounted on said carriage,electrical contact means on said casing and selectively engageable bysaid contactor during movement thereof with said carriage along saidpath, said casing having a front wall with a rearwardly facing surfacealong which said carriage is slidable, said casing having a slotextending through said front wall and generally parallel with said pathof said carriage, said front wall having a front surface, and anoperating member slidable along said front surface of said front wall,said operating member comprising a rearwardly extending portionincluding a pair of prongs extending through and slidable along saidslot, said carriage having a retaining slot for receiving said prongs,said prongs being flexible and resilient and having rear end portionswith ratchet teeth thereon for deflecting said prongs toward each otheras said prongs are inserted through said retaining slot during theassembly of said prongs into said retaining slot, said prongs beingoperative to snap away from each other with said ratchet teeth lockedbehind said carriage when said prongs are fully inserted through saidretaining slot in said carriage.
 2. An electrical switch according toclaim 1,said operating member and said prongs being made of a resinousplastic material.
 3. An electrical switch according to claim 1,includingresilient means biasing said carriage toward one end of said path ofmovement.
 4. An electrical switch according to claim 1,including aspring biasing said carriage toward one end of said path of movement. 5.An electrical switch according to claim 1,said casing, said carriage andsaid operating member, including said prongs, being made of resinousplastic materials.
 6. An electrical switch, comprisinga casing, acarriage mounted in said casing for sliding movement along apredetermined path, an electrically conductive contactor mounted on saidcarriage, electrical contact means on said casing and selectivelyengageable by said contactor during movement thereof with said carriagealong said path, said casing having a front wall with a rearwardlyfacing surface along which said carriage is slidable, said casing havinga slot extending through said front wall and generally parallel withsaid path of said carriage, said front wall having a front surface, andan operating member slidable along said front surface of said frontwall, said operating member comprising a rearwardly extending memberincluding a pair of prongs extending through and slidable along saidslot, said carriage having a retaining slot for receiving said prongs,said prongs being flexible and resilient and having rear end portionswith latching elements thereon for deflecting said prongs as said prongsare inserted through said retaining slot during the assembly of saidprongs into said retaining slot, said prongs being operative to returnresiliently to their undeflected positions with said latching elementsinterlocked with said carriage when said prongs are fully inserted intosaid retaining slot in said carriage.
 7. An electrical switch accordingto claim 6,said operating member and said prongs being made of aresinous plastic material.
 8. An electrical switch according to claim6,said casing, said carriage and said operating member, including saidprongs, being made of resinous plastic materials.
 9. An electricalswitch according to claim 6,including resilient means biasing saidcarriage in one direction along said path.
 10. An electrical switchaccording to claim 6,including a spring biasing said carriage toward oneend of said path of movement.
 11. A slide action electrical switch,comprisinga casing, a carriage mounted in said casing for slidingmovement along a predetermined path, an electrically conductivecontactor mounted on said carriage, electrical contact means on saidcasing and selectively engageable by said contactor during movementthereof with said carriage along said path, said casing having a frontwall with a rearwardly facing surface along which said carriage isslidable, said casing having a slot extending through said front walland generally parallel with said path of said carriage, said front wallhaving a front surface, and an operating member slidable along saidfront surface of said front wall, said operating member comprising arearwardly extending portion including a pair of prongs extendingthrough and slidable along said slot, said carriage having a retainingslot for receiving said prongs, said prongs being flexible and resilientand having rear end portions with ratchet teeth directed outwardly inopposite directions thereon for deflecting said prongs toward each otheras said prongs are inserted through said retaining slot during theassembly of said prongs into said retaining slot, said prongs beingoperative to snap away from each other with said ratchet teeth lockedbehind said carriage when said prongs are fully inserted through saidretaining slot in said carriage, said retaining slot in said carriagebeing substantially shorter than said slot in said front wall, saidprongs having a distance between the extremities of said ratchet teethwhich is less than the length of said retaining slot whereby said prongsare deflected toward each other when said prongs are inserted into saidretaining slot.
 12. A switch according to claim 11,said operating memberand said prongs being made of a resilient resinous plastic material. 13.A switch according to claim 12,said casing and said carriage being madeof resinous plastic materials.
 14. A switch according to claim11,including resilient means biasing said carriage toward one end ofsaid path.
 15. A switch according to claim 11,including a spring biasingsaid carriage toward one end of said path of movement.
 16. A switchaccording to claim 11,said operating member having a lengthsubstantially greater than the length of said slot in said front wallfor covering said slot in said front wall throughout the range ofsliding movement of said operating member.
 17. A switch according toclaim 1,said operating member having a length substantially greater thanthe length of said slot in said front wall for covering said slot insaid front wall throughout the range of sliding movement of saidoperating member.
 18. A switch according to claim 6,said operatingmember having a length substantially greater than the length of saidslot in said front wall for covering said slot in said front wallthroughout the range of sliding movement of said operating member.